Harry Potter and the Cup of Death
by Sheila51
Summary: Post HBP Harry decides to forgo returning to Hogwarts to search for the remaining Horcruxes with Ron, Hermione and the only one who can complete the riddles Dumbledore has left Harry.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Harry Potter and the Cup of Death

Synopsis: Post HBP Harry decides to forgo returning to Hogwarts to search for the remaining Horcruxes with Ron, Hermione and the only one who can complete the riddles Dumbledore has left Harry.

Disclaimer: I am in the sandpit- JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own all rights to everything you recognize.

Rating: Pg-13

A/N: This story is a sequel to two other stories of mine 'Unseeing eyes' – which I recommend reading first, and 'The Perfect Plan' – which I haven't quite finished yet and is really just based on the account Sirius gives to Harry of the night the Potters were killed. I have also just posted the beginning of a series of HP poems most of which will involve this 'universe' under the name 'Poisoned Chalice'

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"_I will drink the poison you hand me._

_I will not hesitate to take death from you._

_I will drink your poisoned chalice._

_And I will change the world."_

_-Aislinn Vitelli, extract from 'Poisoned Chalice'_

Chapter One: Time To Grieve

Mist crept across the ground as though it had a life of its own. It swirled and moved around the open fields and through hedges, around frozen half dead flowerbeds and birdbaths. From the window Aislinn could see the high fence with its wrought iron gates and the white gravel pathway that led up to the house. Behind her the fire she had enchanted earlier had faded away to a few sullenly glowing coals. She blinked and shifted to sit straighter in the window seat, as she did do the large textbook in her lap fell to the carpeted floor with a muffled thump. Shifting underneath the thick patchwork quilt, she leaned down, her hand scrabbling like a pale spider on the dark Arabian patterned carpet for the book. Finally she clutched the book and straightened. She shivered and settled back under the blanket, her pale blue, bloodshot eyes glanced out at the gently swirling mist again.

She shifted once more as she blinked at the mist; she could almost imagine that a tall figure would appear in the mist, silver beard glistening by moonlight, eyes twinkling with happiness as he strode confidently down the path, eyes glancing to see her waiting for him. For a moment her daydream seemed to solidify but she blinked and he was gone. She shivered. And finally shifted, her bare feet touched the floor she carefully walked over to the bookshelf, she returned _Advanced Defensive Magic _by Louis Roquefort to its place between _Jinxes for the Jinxed_ and _Defending Against the Dark Arts._

Behind her she heard soft footsteps in the hall, for a moment her heart leapt- partially in fear and partially in hope- then she shook off the feeling. She was not alone with her heavy footed and sleeping governess tonight; she was now in a house being guarded by the Order of the Phoenix.

Behind her the door swung open on silent hinges.

"Aislinn?" came the soft and sleepy voice of her old tutor. She turned to face him. Remus Lupin was rumpled looking, his tired eyes blinking blearily, his hastily pulled on dressing gown was threadbare and from what she could see the pajamas underneath were equally old. "You should be in bed, we are leaving early in the morning." he added with a slightly reproachful tone.

"Yes." Her reply was soft and accepting. He sighed, and ran a hand through his already messy hair. He walked into the library and closed the door; his eyes ran over the window seat and her patched quilt and almost extinct embers and then glanced at the bookshelf behind her. Slowly he walked to the table and chairs on that side of the long hall that was the library in the Vitelli household.

Remus pulled back two chairs and indicated that she should sit down as she walked over he lifted his wand and twirled it, a tray with steaming mugs and a round apple cake appeared and lowered onto the table. As she sat he flicked his wand at each of the six fireplaces in the library, one by one they came alight, next he waved his wand at the candles on the tables and they sprang to life, flickering softly and helping bathe the room with a cheery look that belied the tension in the room.

Remus poured the thick brown liquid into two small cups, Aislinn recognized the dreamy smell of hot chocolate and a tiny smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Here Aislinn," he said passing her a cup.

"Now Aislinn, we have to talk about some things I wasn't going to raise so soon-" he was staring at her with an expression of regret and sadness. "- but I think perhaps it is time to start talking about some arrangements that need to be made." She nodded woodenly; she didn't want to talk about changes just now, she wanted desperately to pretend nothing had happened- that he was coming back. And she didn't want to talk about anymore 'arrangements'.

The last time someone had wanted to talk about arrangements it had been Professor McGonagall, the small but wiry Professor had arrived early that morning with three members of the Order, her face grooved by new lines and her eyes bloodshot. Aislinn had rushed to answer the door, she had felt the blood drain out of her face at the sight of McGonagall and Lupin, she had seen the grief in their faces. Neither had spoken, Aislinn had asked with a silent tilt of her head the question she could not utter, the little sniffle that had escaped her Transfiguration teacher told her everything she feared and with a little cry she had turned and run, robes billowing out behind her as she raced through the house to her Great Uncle's study.

The rest of that day had been a blur; the only friends she had known-teachers mainly drawn from the Order of the Phoenix had come and gone. They had told her their plans for his burial- she had agreed to them. Lupin had told her the way he had died, he held her as though he thought she would weep and bury her face in his shoulder, instead she had stared at the small coffee table with it's engraved little legs and clenched her fists in silent anger, clenched them until her fingernails broke her skin and a little blood ran down and dripped from her fists.

Severus Snape was a face she remembered- he had not been a teacher but he had visited them once, she had peeked into the sitting room with wide eyes to see her Great Uncle's visitor and had shied away- the man had a cruel face she remembered thinking, his dark eyes piercing and unfriendly behind layers of greasy hair. When Uncle Albus offered that Snape could teach her Potions the next year she had vociferously demanded a different teacher. And so it had been an ex-auror friend of her father's who had taught her that year and the next year it Was Mad-Eye Moody whenever he had had the time to visit.

She shivered as she realized Lupin was waiting patiently for her to return to the present. She did not wish to know how many guards would be surrounding her now that Snape had disappeared, he had been at Hogwarts long enough to have guessed at her existence and he had been to the house when she was a child- and while she always had to stay in her room when visitors were there he had probably seen enough to guess there was a child in the house. And possibly even enough to guess which of the three Vitelli children had survived the last war when they were supposed to have died.

She lifted the hot chocolate and drank a mouthful and Lupin's face twitched slightly, a momentary look of anguish she had seen on others' faces as they saw an expression or a movement like her Great Uncle's. She had never before thought of him as 'Great Uncle', before he was just 'Uncle Albus'. Now she seemed to need the distance of calling him 'Great Uncle'. She tilted her head and looked up at Lupins shadowed eyes to let him know he had her attention.

"Professor McGonagall spoke to Harry Potter before coming here this morning." she nodded to say she already knew that and he too sipped his drink. "He has refused to tell her what he and Dumbledore-" he paused awkwardly for a moment before clearing his throat and continuing. "- what they were doing. She suspects- as do I- that you know something about it." He added delicately. "There are things that Profe-" he broke off and she nodded again, more jerkily and with a sense of her stomach leaping into her throat. She knew the name he was refusing to speak in front of her. He sighed again.

"Professor McGonagall thought you might tell at least some members of the Order (me and her at least) something about what they were doing." He finished quietly, his eyes betraying how important her answer would be.

"Lupin. I wish I could tell you." She shook her head and lowered her eyes from hi, auburn hair falling across her face to hide her from him. "I don't know everything, I know a little of many things- but he never told me everything. And what he told me was in strict confidence." She looked up at him from behind her hair. "Some things I know I'm sure he never intended me to know." Remus nodded and sighed.

"I'm sorry Lupin, I truly am." He nodded again and gave her a slight smile.

"I understand." She smiled her thanks at him, a bare curl at the corners ofher lips. "There are other things I need to talk to you about- I believe it is time for you to come out of hiding. I know it was intended that you should remain hidden from the wizarding world at least until your coming of age- or even longer." He paused and shifted uncomfortable, his fingers rising to rub at the scars that ran diagonally across his face.

"But you're an extraordinary witch and your strength and wisdom- not to mention your family name and position would be a boost to wizards everywhere – not to mention those in the Order who don't know of your existence. And a wound to Voldemort and his followers." He smiled. "To know a member of the Vitelli family survived the repeated attacks and the despicable way your family was killed…"

"I know what my appearance would do." She shifted as he looked at her with eyes full of sorrow at the words he had spoken. "I understand it Remus." He shifted in an uncomfortable way. "And I - I can't yet. Not yet."

"I rather thought you would say that." He said softly. "The others thought it should wait so as to give you more time to grieve." he reached a hand out and placed it on her shoulder. "_But I think you're stronger than any of us have given you credit for_." She looked up and smiled slightly at his whispered words.

"Remus, I don't need time to grieve- I will never stop grieving ." She stood slowly.

"I should go now, I do have to be up tomorrow. Good night Remus" hesmiled.

"Good night. Sheslowly walked across the room and pulled the door shut behind her with barely a sound, he heard her bare feet pad up the stairs.

He raised his cup to his lips. "No more grieving." He said softly to himself and took a sip of chocolate.

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A/N: Very slow first chapter but it will pick up soon I promise! 


	2. Interlude 1

Title: Harry Potter and the Cup of Death

Synopsis: Post HBP Harry decides to forgo returning to Hogwarts to search for the remaining Horcruxes with Ron, Hermione and the only one who can complete the riddles Dumbledore has left Harry.

Disclaimer: I am in the sandpit- JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own all rights to everything you recognize.

Rating: Pg-13

A/N: This is just a really REALLY short interlude, I promise the next two Chapters will be up in the next few days, I promise!

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Interlude One: 

Draco Malfoy screamed and screamed, the pale boys youngface contorted into a horrifying sight that made even Snape feel slightly ill. He had seen many would notsurvive this length of torture from the Dark Lord but to many of the other Death Eater's surprise but something seemed to be sustaining the boy's strength.

Sverus turned his face away for the first time in hours, he looked up at the high ceiling of stars far above him, the isolated clearing was swirling with mist as the predawn grey began to roll across the sky. He shivered and turned his eyes back to Draco Malfoy's face as the screams faded into sobs.

"You're sorry aren't you boy?" hissed a cold voice that chilled Snape more than the unnaturally cold air ever could.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes." The mutters raised in pitch until they were screamed into the night air as the wand raised once more.

Snape lidded his eyes so that Malfoy's young face became blurred as the screams continued.

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See the little itty bity button? Use it! 


	3. Chapter 2: Last Request

Title: Harry Potter and the Cup of Death

Synopsis: Post HBP Harry decides to forgo returning to Hogwarts to search for the remaining Horcruxes with Ron, Hermione and the only one who can complete the riddles Dumbledore has left Harry.

Disclaimer: I am in the sandpit- JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own all rights to everything you recognize.

Rating: Pg-13

A/N: Update as I promised! Please review!

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Chapter Two: Last Request

Aislinn slowly walked up the wide staircase, she had never been to Hogwarts but she felt as though she knew it well as she followed Professor McGonagall along corridors past paintings that watched her with curiosity. They moved up another staircase and paused at the top, they turned down another corridor to two gargoyle's that guarded a doorway.

She shivered as McGonagall glanced back at her.

"Chocolate Frog." The new Headmistress announced in a clear but pained voice. The door slid aside to make way for a circular staircase that moved upwards in a spiral. Carefully they stepped onto the staircase and were carried up and around a gigantic carving. The stair stopped in front of a tall wooden door and Aislinn shivered. She had felt cold since she entered the castle but now that feeling was doubled as Professor McGonagall sent her a steadying look before gently opening the door.

"Most of his things have been packed up." Said the small Transfiguration teacher as she led the way into the office. Without needing to be told where to go Aislinn walked towards the Headmaster's desk, on it sat a round steel basin she knew well, Great Uncle's Pensieve was still brim full of swirling thoughts he had placed within, she shuddered at the idea of stepping inside those memories as she had once before. The memory of what she had seen in that memory still made her ill and she quickly turned her gaze away from the swirling thoughts within the basin and looked upwards. She winced as she looked at the painting.

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in a comfortable armchair, his head canted to one side as he slept on, blissfully unaware of her presence. Soft wheezes and snores could be heard but they were all coming from that painting the rest of the paintings were sitting their chairs with straight backs, eyes fastened on her. She glanced around at them and recognized many of their names and some of their faces. Just above her Great Uncle a cold faced wizard was staring at her with a strange mixture of haughty disdain and unbridled curiosity.

Slowly she walked around the desk to face the painting of her great uncle. She noticed as she did so that his snoring had faded and his head was now upright, instead his eyes were closed almost in resignation.

"Albus Dumbledore." The words that left her mouth were formal and her emotions controlled. She heard a sniffle over her shoulder and knew McGonagall was having difficulty restraining her emotions.

Finally the painting opened his eyes, their blue reflections of hers were not dancing merrily as they had when he told her stories as a child or watched her play, rather they were solemn and sad.

"Your letter told me that you would have a request to make of me." The painting of Dumbledore did not shift or blink but remained watching her through his half moon glasses, though the other paintings had all shifted slightly, a soft murmur going around the room. The request was odd, and dangerous. It implied there was something the living Dumbledore had felt unable to leave to her by means of a Last Will and Testament sworn over by the Ministry and kept in one of the special vaults that such documents were kept in at Gringotts, which in turn was dangerous to leave with a painting as paintings were easily destroyed.

Aislinn felt a sudden burning desire to turn away as the scrutiny of the other paintings intensified, she felt an unpleasant stinging in her already sore and swollen eyes and forced herself to square her shoulders. She had already resolved to do whatever it was her great uncle would ask, she knew that whatever it was it was what he had trained her for since her Grandpa had died eight years ago, whatever it was had been the cause of the sudden change in her schooling that year so the Defense Against the Dark Arts had become by far the most important subject being taught to her, in fact to the point that Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody had been dropping by up to three times a week to tutor her.

"Yes- I have things to share and a request to make." She nodded. "Understand, I do not ask this lightly, I know the things I am asking you to do will be hard and that you are too young by any measure to face these things. But understand as well that I would not ask if I did not have faith in you, the task I set you is dangerous, a road you will travel alone, because- and this is _very _important. No one outside this room must ever know what I am about to ask or the means by which I have acquired this knowledge and to that end, if I could ask you to leave us now, all of you - except you Phineas." He added to the wizard above him with the sneering face, Aislinn felt a moment of curiosity as she looked at one of the most hated and feared Hogwarts Headmaster's of all time. Nigellus was well known also for raising the importance of the Dark Arts to an almost unprecedented level at Hogwarts. He waited until the cacophony of Protests had died down.

"Please do this now, I have asked so much of some of you but I know ask more of the one most important to me and I wish it to be for her ears alone."

"Alright Albus." Said McGonagall, her voice trembling with tears. "Out, all of you." She added to the portraits, many of whom where shifting sideways with highly disgruntled faces.

"Thank you." He said softly as the last few disappeared. Finally the portraits were empty apart from the two directly in front of her.

"Phineas, I will ask you to be silent and patient, you are here to listen not to contribute. Phineas had lost his condescending look and now wore one of gravity, though he still seemed curious.

"As you wish Dumbledore." She winced at her own formalness but knew at the same time that without it she would be weeping.

"If you could cast a freezing charm on each photo and silence charm on the room we will begin." Aislinn nodded as she withdrew her wand from her pocket, almost thoughtlessly she cast each spell quickly and effortlessly, the slender Ivy wood wand swishing through the air in tightly controlled movements. The paintings waited as Aislinn settled her self against the edge of the desk, the wood beneath hands as she curled them around the edge of the desk seemed comfortingly solid.

"Listen carefully, this is a prophecy made hundreds of years ago by a great Seer who has had many gifted descendants including Cassandra Trelawney and the divination teacher who currently resides in this Castle, indeed she was the first of this line to attain great renown and this is the only one of her prophecies to have been unfulfilled…"

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Minerva paced back and forth across the corridor, her steps jerky and her thoughts chasing around and around in a circle, a series of questions repeated over and over. What did Dumbledore have to say that none of the portraits or herself would be allowed to hear except Phineas Nigellus? She had a deep dislike of Nigellus, always had had, and not just because he was a Slytherin but also because his time as headmaster had been a time of darkness in the castle, when the Dark Arts and Pure-Blood status had been championed above all else.

She paced faster as she considered what dangerous thing Dumbledore could be asking her to do, something beyond anything he had ever asked before from his expression. Something dangerous and undoubtedly to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. But more than anything she was now worried about the length of time Aislinn had spent in the office, nearly four hours had passed and the sunlight streaming in through the high arched windows was fading to a brilliant gold as the afternoon waned.

A grinding noise behind her made her turn. The door opened slowly as the winding staircase ground to a halt.

Aislinn emerged, her face was pale and tear stained but there was a strange cast to her expression and Minerva felt a chill run down her spine and settle in her stomach as the last trunks from Dumbledore's office came out into the corridor and hovered silently behind the pale witch.

Pale blue eyes stared into hers with an intensity that was startling, the child had always been intense but this was a different level, there was a maturity in those pale eyes that Minerva had never seen before and she grieved the passing of the little girl she'd known.

"I need to go home now Professor." The words were soft and halting, pleading that her mentor not ask any questions.

"I'll go make the arrangements." She replied, granting her student her trust and faith without any words. She turned away and hurried down the corridor, she felt Aislinn following her, she glanced back and looked away quickly, she felt cold at the expression of resolve on her old student's face, it was the image of Albus'.

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Review please... Pretty Please... 


	4. Chapter 3:Stranger at the Burrowpart 1

**Title:** Harry Potter and the Cup of Death

**Synopsis:** Post HBP Harry decides to forgo returning to Hogwarts to search for the remaining Horcruxes with Ron, Hermione and the only one who can complete the riddles Dumbledore has left Harry.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a computer. And it's a crappy old one... So what I'm saying is - don't sue me. 

**Rating:** Pg-13

**A/N:** Yeah yeah, I am a total fibber, and a slacker, and I have an excuse! And oh dear. Well anyway this HALF of this chapter. The other half is not finished due to my muse having done a runner! So review! Inspire me! Make suggestions! Oh and thanks to my three reviewers! You guys are the reason I am updating this story!

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Chapter 3: Stranger at the Burrow(Part 1)

The Burrow was a hive of activity as the big day drew ever closer. Everyday more visitors arrived in the village and a nearby field had been made unplottable and invisible so a large temporary building could be set up to house many of the wizards and witches- not to mention goblins- who were attending the wedding of Bill and Fleur. At the back of the yard the ever present mist was hiding under shrubs that were brittle and brown in the unseasonably cold weather. Behind Harry Hedwig twittered in her cage, she seemed resentful towards Harry and he felt that perhaps it was because he had hardly used her in the last year except for two notes to Ron and Hermione during the last week when he had been at the Dursley's.

As he thought about that short week at the Dursley's he remembered the strange reaction of Aunt Petunia when he had told her Dumbledore had been killed. He had waited three days to tell them so that when (as he had assumed they would) they threw him out he would at least have spent several days in the house. Uncle Vernon had simply looked rather like a rather stunned and purplish mullet- while Aunt Petunia had gone pale, her thin lips quivering and her eyes more afraid than Harry had ever seen them, and they were looking at him with a curious expression. Her next words however had been the most surprising.

'You saw him die.' The words had been said in a hushed tone and she had looked for a moment as though she was going to cry- rather she had leapt from her chair and wrapped her bony arms around his shoulders. This had torn Dudley's face from the television as he stared at her with his mouth open in unflattering shock. Uncle Vernon had been even more shocked his face rapidly going pale and his eyes wildly looking anywhere but at them.

Finally he gave a sort of choked cough that made him sound as though he was being killed. At his cough Aunt Petunia had let go of him and blown her nose loudly into her handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes.

It had been one of his more bewildering experiences that summer- not that there hadn't been plenty of other strange an perplexing things going on. Staying in a house with Ginny was like a sort of strange torture- she had become distant and hurt, her face harder and never seeming quite as happy as should be. Harry felt a strange guilt for this: he could not in good conscience stay with her it would put her in terrible danger yet at the same time the monster inside him asked whether if he loved her so much why was it so easy to let her go- and was it really for her safety?

Hermione and Ron on the other hand where exchanging what they obviously thought secret smiles and Harry was fairly sure – though he had not yet caught them at it- secret kisses. Meanwhile little Gabrielle Delacour had arrived three days ago with her parents and she seemed to have developed a vast desire to spend every possible moment in Harry's company. At every opportunity she was showing off her magical skills and her not inconsiderable Veela charms, though Harry noticed that the more he resisted them the weaker her efforts became and now she too was moping around the place as well.

Thus Harry was spending his time either hiding here in his room with a book or with whatever Order member was present and otherwise unoccupied. His mind was never far from the events of the previous year, his day dreams lingering fondly over memories of the lessons he had shared with Professor Dumbledore. His mind constantly thinking over the task he had set himself. He looked down at the book in his hands _Hogwarts: A History_ was definitely not a fascinating read, and he had yet to find anything truly useful- just as Hermione had said. Still it had given him more information about the school and its founders.

With a grunt he shut the large book and stood. He took it over to the bed and set back in the trunk that was propped against the bottom of the bed. He'd have to return to Diagon Alley soon to buy every spell book that might be useful in the year ahead- but that was at least three or four days away for that as the wedding was now less then a day away.

"Harry! Lunch!" called Mrs. Weasley's voice. Harry groaned, normally lunch at the burrow was a joy, with wonderful rich food and happiness and laughter, but since Fleur's parents had arrived this was no longer the case. It could not be plainer that they believed their precious daughter was making a terrible mistake, Mrs. Delacour in particular seemed to find the Weasley house and its occupants as beneath her- except for Harry. He could have handled the awkward silences and complex games of insults disguised as compliments or idle comments that the two mothers were involved in, or that Mrs. Delacour preferred to only speak to him and was encouraging Gabrielle to pursue him if only the food had remained as delicious and filling but after the first meal with the Delacour's Mrs. Weasley was spending hours preparing strange and obscure dishes and odd finger food.

As he walked over to the door he heard several cars pull up outside. He hurried to the window to see two ministry cars out the front. Professor McGonagall and Kingsley Shacklebolt got out of the first car with a middle aged woman dressed in dark grey robes that matched her steel grey hair that formed strict curls around what Harry thought was an equally forbidding and stern face, Mad-Eye followed a second or so later.

Harry looked at the other car, Tonks had just stepped out. Harry blinked, her hair was now a very vivid very shocking electric blue, he grinned as he thought about what Mrs. Delacour would think of Tonks, Remus Lupin- and Harry once again thought of Mrs. Delacour's raised eyebrows and downturned mouth as he saw his old professor's rumpled appearance. He stood behind Tionks for a moment before turning around as a third figure emerged Harry didn't know.

Rich auburn hair glowed in the sunlight around a very pale face. Whoever she was she looked very muggle-like, she would have gone unnoticed on any muggle street - even Aunt Petunia could not have found anything to complain about.

She looked around and a small smile formed on her face as she took in the burrow. Suddenly as though sensing she was being watched she looked up and met his gaze.

Harry frowned as pale blue eyes stared right at him, eyes that seemed too large for the small pale face they were in. He frowned as the Order members formed up around her, they seemed worried as they hurried her into the house, Mad-Eye coming last with the steel haired woman in grey who had bewitched a large black trunk to fly in front of her.

Harry watched them enter the house and hastened downstairs to meet them in the little entry hall.

"No, no Molly- not staying, just Aislinn as we arranged." Professor McGonagall was saying. As he turned around to look in he noticed that most of the Order members were waiting outside the door.

"Oh but lunch is only just on the table Minerva…" offered Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh no I have to leave." Said McGonagall who with a final look at the young woman hurried back out the door.

"We'll stay Molly." Said Lupin with a smile as the woman in grey maneuvered the trunk against the wall. Harry felt a strange lightness at those words and couldn't help the smile that covered his face. The matronly witch in grey had returned to the young witchAnd turned to the young girl who Harry guessed was about his age.

"Thank you." Her voice was low and commanding. Harry had a feeling it was a voice people listened to. The woman in grey bowed and walked outside, closing the door behind her as she did.

"Wotcher Harry!" called Tonks as she and the girl turned and saw him watching.

"Hi Tonks, Hi Lupin." Replied Harry, grateful for any company that might make lunch a more enjoyable affair. Lupin turned and smiled at Harry.

"Hello Harry." He placed a hand on the shoulder of the young girl. "Aislinn this is Harry, Harry- Aislinn." the two nodded to each other.

"Hi." Said Harry, smiling at her again. Once again he barely got a response and now he could see why, the large blue eyes were bloodshot and her face though pale was marked by dark circles under each eye. She had the fragile look of someone who stayed up late at night weeping and it made Harry uneasy- he had seen that look all to frequently. He felt his smile slide off his face like wet mud.

"Hello." He was surprised when her eyes did not flick up to look at his scar and she instead turned to follow Mrs. Weasley who seemed a little uncertain as to what to do or say while she studied slender witch.

"Well, come on through." She finally said and led them through the house, The witch passed Harry with barely a glance and fell into step just behind Mrs. Weasley as they walked through the house to the back yard, where due to the large number of people coming, lunch was being served.

"Thank you for having me Mrs. Weasley." The words were said in the same low voice. Today even Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie and Fleur were coming home for lunch and Mrs. Weasley wasted no time in telling the Aislinn that, speaking in a motherly tone as she patted the girl's slight shoulder and explaining proudly what Arthur Weasley's job was.

As they stepped out into the back yard the sun broke from its hiding place behind the clouds and warmth spread over the back yard. Harry quickly glanced around the table as everyone turned to look at the new arrivals and mostly to stare at Aislinn. Harry saw that Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie and Fleur had arrived as planned and even Fred and George were there, there lurid green dragon skin coats positively glowing in the sudden sunlight.

He hastily looked away as Mrs. Delacour moved towards him to maneuver him into a seat between her and Gabrielle- as had already happened at three previous terrible meals that he would rather forget. Seizing upon a sudden inspiration he caught Aislinn's gaze and smiled. She returned a curious look and then thankfully very quickly caught on as he motioned for her to follow him.

"So Aislinn how long will you be staying here?" he asked as he felt rather than saw Mrs Delacour watching him he had the unpleasant itching feeling between his shoulders that told him she was probably glaring at him but he didn't dare look at her.

"Three days. And you?" she asked – looking Harry felt as uninterested as it was possible to be when one had just asked a question, her eyes roving back and forwards over the people around her with sharp blue eyes.

"Oh, I've been here nearly a week now, I'm staying here for a few more days then heading for Diagon Alley-" he led her rather quickly around the end of the table and towards Ron, Hermione and Ginny who always made a point of sitting as far away as possible from where Mrs Delacour was. "I also have to pass my Apparition test at the Ministry." He said with a half glance at Mrs. Delacour, she had a rather sour expression on her face and was looking at Tonks and Lupin with the exact sort of distaste as he had expected.

"Ah." She said nodding as he motioned for her to take a large padded cane chair next to Hermione while he took a straight backed wooden chair which had seen better days next to Ginny.

"These are my friends, Ron and Hermione-" he motioned to each of them who smiled. "-and Ginny-" he motioned to her and she smiled too, though Harry noticed it seemed a little strained. "And that's Fred and George- they run 'Wealsley's Wizarding Wheezes'." She smiled and leaned forward slightly to say hello to the twins who were sitting just past Ginny. Just then Mr. Weasley stepped up to the head of the table, he had a large grin on his face as he looked around the table, his eyes first lingering over Bill and Fleur and then over Aislinn- Harry thought he saw the grin waver when Mr. Weasley looked at her but that could be just his imagination.

"Everyone- we have a new face here, this is Aislinn, she will be staying with us for a short while. And for those of you who have not already met them this is Remus Lupin-" he waved at Lupin "- and Tonks. Now then lunch." He said with enthusiasm and sat down abruptly, his face still grinning.

"Have you passed your Apparation Test yet?" asked Ginny, from the other side of Aislinn.

"No, I don't turn seventeen until December. But I've already done the training for my test." Ron was making a disgruntled noise, he had failed his second test by a hair's breadth by apparating inside the front gate of the Burrow instead of outside the front gate. Aislinn smiled sympathetically at Ron who was making stabbing motions at the jacket potato on his plate as Hermione passed the plate of jacket potatoes to Harry who helped himself to two before passing it to Aislinn who passed it straight to Ginny.

"They're good." said Harry warningly with a nod at the Jacket potatoes that Ginny was helping herself too. The next food being sent their way was some strange meat and vegetable mixture that was a yellowish color. Harry took one look and hastily passed it on to Aislinn who didn't even glance at it before passing it on to Ginny. Finally lunch began in earnest and Harry was relieved that he had managed to find enough foods that he knew what were or that looked edible to fill his plate with.

"Did you hear about Marcurio Bodwell and his family?" asked Fred to his father. The conversations that had begun around the table halted as everyone turned to look at Fred with frightened eyes. Mrs Weasley looked even more shocked than the others, she had imposed a complete ban on anything to do with the war being brought up at the meal table which had meant that any extra information had had to be got in quick whispered conversations before or after mealtimes and as Harry had been cornered for days by Mrs Delacour he had missed out on anything the Daily Prophet didn't print.

Mrs Weasley lost her surproised look and Harry saw her face tighten into anger. "Not now Fr-"

"What's happened?" interrupted Aislinn, leaning forwards to look at the twins.

"The whole family was killed last night. Only found an hour or two ago." There was dark uncomfortable silence. Aislinn sat back in her chair, her eyes staring directly across the table into thin air.

"The Aurors were far too late again then." She said, her voice dripping with bitterness. Bill laughed humorlessly.

"I'm sorry to say it –especially in front of you Tonks-" he said nodding to the blue haired witch. "But the Aurors are lucky to even find people the same day they're killed- even one of their own."

"That's alright Bill, I say it myself." Said Tonks moodily, as she spoke her hair seemed to dull.

"I thought we said none of that talk at the table." Said Mrs Weasley her face pinched and angry as her eyes flashed around the able. Fred, Bill and Tonks all looked slightly guilty. Aislinn sat back in her chair, her eyes still seemingly staring at nothing.

To be Continued...

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